We will always encounter a situation where we need to play a DVD on the trip but the only device we have is the HP laptop or other brands on our laps. Whether it’s for entertainment, work, or other purposes, we need to play this DVD on the HP laptop.
In this article, we will list three one-click methods to play a DVD on HP laptops. The methods below will cover from Windows XP to Windows 11. Don’t worry if you’re using an old or the latest HP laptop. If you have a laptop from another brand like Dell, ASUS, or Lenovo, the methods below will also help you as they’re compatible with all Windows laptops and desktops.
Quick Navigation:
Method 1: Play DVD on HP Laptop with Windows Media Player
To play a video, audio, or slideshow DVD on any Windows computer, the official Windows Media Player is the go-to option according to Microsoft. This is a media player service available from Windows XP, Vista, 7 to 10 & 11. Windows users can easily enable it on the computer for free.
For HP laptop owners, you can surely enjoy this service and play the DVD easily. Try this:
Step 1:
Pop the DVD into the disc drive on your HP laptop which is normally located at two sides of the laptop. Press on the tray and it will pop out. Insert the disc and press it back.
If you have no idea where it is, try this:
Open the File Explorer on your HP laptop and go to This PC or Computer. Locate the disc drive icon and right-click on it, choose Eject. The optical disc drive will pop out immediately. Insert the DVD.
Note:
If you can’t find both the optical disc and the icon on your HP laptop, maybe it’s manufactured without an optical disc tray. You can buy and insert a standalone DVD player into your HP laptop to play DVDs.
Step 2:
Launch Windows Media Player via the search feature on Windows laptops.
On the interface, find the Other Media option on the navigation pane on the left. Below this option, it’s the name of the inserted DVD. Double-click on it to play the DVD on your HP laptop.
Method 2: Play DVD on HP Laptop with VLC Media Player
A lot of people may have heard or are using VLC. This is the media player freeware that has millions of downloads each year. As a media player, it can play most digital formats and can also be used as a DVD player program on HP laptops.
Let’s see how to play a DVD on an HP laptop with VLC then.
Step 1:
Download VLC on the HP laptop. In the loading process, you can insert the DVD into your HP laptop.
Step 2:
Launch the program after the loading process is done. Then, on the interface of the media player, hit the Media option from the top left corner. Select the Open Disc option and browse to select the inserted DVD.
Then, VLC will start to process and play this DVD on your HP laptop.
Besides, you can also open File Explorer and go to Computer. Find the icon of the CD-DVD drive and the name of your DVD. Right-click on the disc icon and choose to play on VLC.
Method 3: Play DVD on HP Laptop with echoshare Blu-ray Player
For homemade DVDs, Windows Media Player and VLC are both practical solutions to play DVDs on an HP laptop. However, when you plan to play a commercial DVD from Disney, Netflix, Redbox, or others, VLC or WMP may fail to play the DVD.
Why VLC and WMP Fail to Play DVDs on HP Laptops
Commercial DVDs are installed with DRM methods that stop unauthorized playback and copy. Only eligible hardware and software can load these DVDs for you. Unfortunately, neither VLC nor WMP are on the list.
So, you can only pick another DVD player program on your HP laptop to play all DVDs.
Here, echoshare Blu-ray Player is an awesome VLC and WMP alternative. It works on all Windows laptops and desktops. You can install it on your HP laptop and play DVDs for free.
As a program that’s designed for advanced Blu-rays, echoshare Blu-ray Player is surely eligible to play inferior DVDs. Compared to VLC and Windows Media Player, echoshare Blu-ray Player can play DVDs encrypted by DRM methods. This program will crack all protections and deliver you the original quality of the DVD movie, music, or slideshow.
Download it on your laptop and start to play a DVD.
Step 1:
Insert the DVD into your HP laptop.
Then, download the echoshare Blu-ray player on the machine and finish the setup process as the wizard suggests.
Step 2:
On this DVD player’s interface, hit Open Disc and select the DVD. It will play the DVD content immediately.
Tip: What to Do When DVD Won’t Play on HP Laptops
Playing a DVD on an HP laptop is such an easy thing. However, some may find it difficult in the following situations:
- There’s no built-in optical disc drive on the HP laptop;
- The disc reader on the HP laptop can’t read DVDs;
Fix 1: Connect A DVD Player to HP Laptop
DVD can’t play on HP laptops when the disc drive is absent or broken. The trend is that laptops are made more compact. The disc drive is gradually removed from the latest models of laptops to expand the performance. Even if you find a disc drive on the HP laptop, it may be damaged under the weak protection of the thinner case.
To make the DVD play on your HP laptop, buy and connect an external DVD player. In this case, you give extra ability to your laptop.
Note that you’d better pick one that supports a USB or HDMI connection. Don’t buy an older model that only has RCA cords.
Convert DVD to Digital To Save on HP Laptop
The DVD is not the only way to save and play the data inside. We can extract the DVD content from the disc and save it as digital files. In this case, we can play the DVD movie or audio on the HP laptop without a DVD player. Also, you don’t have to bring a DVD on your trip.
If you find it helpful, you can start to rip the DVD for your HP laptop.
